By Kyle LoJacono
Four
more Sunlake football players joined the college ranks May 11.
Wide receiver Jamal Jones and rush defensive end Paul Scott will play at West
Virginia Wesleyan College, a Division II program. Offensive lineman Canon Clark
signed with Northwood College, a Division II school in Michigan, and athlete
Mike Lopez will attend Sterling College, an NAIA team in Kansas.
The quartet moves the total number of Seahawks to sign this year to seven, a
program record.
“That’s part of getting the program built up, and now schools
are looking at our players,” said Bill Browning, the only coach in program
history. “We’ve had scouts look at some guys on next year’s team, so I think
they’re starting to really see this is a place to find college players.”
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Jones, who will study technology or
business, led the Seahawks with 557 receiving yards and a program-record 12
touchdowns last fall. He said Wesleyan’s spread offense intrigued him.
“Things really started to come together this season,” Jones
said. “Me and my quarterback, Cameron Stoltz, did a lot during the summer, and
I couldn’t have done this with him and my teammates, my coaches and my family.”
Scott made a living in the opposing backfield last season, tying
for a team-high five sacks while adding 63 tackles. The 5-foot-11, 225-pounder
came from Sickles as a sophomore and said his fondest memories are of Sunlake’s
two playoff games in 2011.
“It took us three years to get to the playoffs,” said Scott, who
will study criminal justice. “Those are probably my favorite memories of high
school; not just in football.”
One of the Seahawks trademarks has been its powerful offensive
line, where Clark played tackle.
“He was one of the main cogs in the offensive line here for
years,” Browning said. “We’re really glad to see him get a chance to move on.”
The 6-foot-1, 275-pound Clark, who had 14 pancake blocks last
year, will move to guard or center in college.
“This is something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little
kid,” said Clark, who will study business administration. “I’ve dreamt of
signing a college scholarship, and it’s pretty exciting to get this
opportunity.”
Lopez, who will study athletic training, lined up all over the
field for the Seahawks. The 5-foot-8, 170-pounder rushed for 300 yards and four
touchdowns last year and added three sacks on defense. He will play in the slot
receiver in college.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Lopez said. “I’ve wanted to play
college ball since I started playing at Pine View Middle School. I’m excited to
represent Sunlake because playing here has been the best couple of years of my
life.”
–Stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches
